What Is the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)?

The UDO is the county’s official document that regulates growth and development.  It includes zoning, subdivision, and environmental regulations that govern the location, size, and appearance of new development and redevelopment projects in Currituck County. The UDO includes such provisions as zoning district regulations, development review procedures, and development standards such as those covering parking, landscaping, building setbacks, size, and appearance.  The link to the county’s current UDO can be found in the Available Downloads tab of this site.

Why Is The County Revising The UDO?

The last comprehensive revision of the UDO was in 1989. It has been amended a number of times since then to address development issues.  These piecemeal amendments have made the UDO more complicated and more difficult to use.  Moreover, the UDO has not been comprehensively revised to ensure  it is consistent with and implements the county’s recent plans.  All of the county’s recent plans recommend changes to the UDO.

Will The UDO Update Change The Zoning On My Property?

The update will concentrate on revising the text of the UDO, not the county’s official zoning map, which addresses the permissible uses on individual properties within the county. At the completion of the project, it is contemplated there might be some changes to the official zoning map. In addition, adjustments to development standards for properties in the county may be necessary. Projects already in the pipeline and for which completed applications have been submitted will not be subject to the new UDO provisions unless the applicant voluntarily chooses to apply them.

Who Is In Charge Of The Project?

Clarion Associates is the consulting firm retained by the county to assist the Planning Department staff with the revisions to the UDO.  They will be working directly with the Board of County Commissioners, and the Advisory Committee, as well as receiving input from all interested stakeholders within the county.
Clarion Associates is a national growth management and zoning consulting firm with offices in North Carolina, Florida, Denver, and Chicago.  The firm has written numerous development codes and regulations for communities across North Carolina and the United States including Mooresville, Cary, Fayetteville, and Morrisville, N.C.; Portsmouth, VA.; Rock Hill and Folly Beach, SC.; Pompano Beach and Daytona Beach, FL.; Franklin, TN.; Biloxi, MS.; and Philadelphia, PA.  More information on the firm can be found at www.clarionassociates.com.

Clarion will be assisted by Moffatt & Nichol, an environmental and engineering firm based in Raleigh. They will assist with stormwater and water quality standards.  Moffatt & Nichol is currently working on stormwater management projects for the county.

What Is The Schedule For The Project?

The UDO update will be carried out in three phases.  Phase 1 is planned to begin in November 2009, and be completed by January 2010. During the task, county staff and the Clarion team will conduct a series of interviews with stakeholders and a public forum to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the current UDO, goals for the project, and potential UDO revisions.  The stakeholders will include groups such as neighborhood associations, advisory boards, developers, and business owners.  The county is soliciting comments from the public about the UDO through a Questionnaire accessed by the link on the right side of the website. In January 2010, Clarion and county staff will hold several public meetings to conduct a Citizens’ Preference Survey to get public input about desired development forms and patterns in the county. The Citizens’ Preference Survey will also be placed on this website in January, 2010, and can be accessed at that time by a link on the right of the homepage. Any interested persons can respond. Responses to both the Questionnaire and Citizens’ Preference Survey can be made through February, 2010.

Phase 2 is planned to be completed by May 2010, and will involve preparation of a code assessment by the Clarion team that identifies ways the UDO needs to be amended to implement county plans and policies, reflect modern best practices, and respond to citizen comments expressed in the questionnaire and Citizens’ Preference Survey. It will also draw on the the Phase 1 interviews and meetings, as well as the Clarion team’s experience with zoning and subdivision ordinances in North Carolina and nationally. The code assessment will be presented to the Advisory Committee, Board of County Commissioners, and public at workshops and a public forum.

Based on the code assessment, public input, and Board of Commissioners direction, Clarion Associates will develop a draft of the revised UDO in Phase 3.  Drafting will take 8-10 months.  The draft code will be reviewed by the Advisory Committee, and Board of County Commissioners in a series of workshops and public meetings, at which time a revised UDO will be prepared for public hearings.

Where Can I Get Copies Of The County Planning Documents That Will Guide The UDO Update?

The Work Products page of this website will be updated regularly to include links to all planning documents and supporting information relevant to the UDO update.